Mobile wireless communications systems are in widespread use throughout metropolitan centers of the world. These systems typically employ a control scheme where control information is transmitted on one frequency or one frequency band while another frequency band is used for traffic channels. One frequency is used to set up a call, and another frequency is used to carry out the actual call. This requires the mobile communication device to change frequencies periodically during a call. Part of the returning process is setting the automatic gain control setting of the receiver so that data can be properly decoded. For example, consider a system in accordance with the Global System for Mobile (GSM) Communications specification. The GSM specification requires frequency accuracy of 0.1 part per million. To accomplish the automatic frequency correction (AFC) the mobile communication device receives frequency correction bursts (FCB) on a control channel periodically. In order to correctly receive the FCB, the AGC must be set correctly, or the signal may be too attenuated by the receiver, or not attenuated enough resulting in clipping. While the mobile communication device is engaged in a call and using a traffic channel, the period between AFC/FCB events can extend to about 2.5 seconds. During that time the control channel gain is typically not adjusted, and significant events may occur causing a substantial change in the signal strength for which the mobile communication device cannot correct in time to receive a good FCB. The prior art method of handling this is to simply ignore the traffic channel and perform a full synchronization when accessing the control channel, including a new AFC determination. This prior art method typically results in a brief loss of signal on the traffic channel, however. Therefore there is a need for a means of accessing the control channel on a different frequency from a traffic channel presently employed for communication where the FCB can be more reliably received.